Well You Wanted A Post, You Gotta Post

You know it's a bad thing when your friends remind you that you need to update your blog. Saying sorry won't make up for these tardy posts.

What have I been up to?
Work.
On-line courses.
Nathan.
Friends.
Learning How to Face Paint!



This is my face paint design of Pikachu! I use Mehron Paradise paints. I bought 5 color palettes off eBay because I wanted to start a small clown business. Nothing big. Just kids parties and church festivals. I'm thinking of calling it Straight Up Clownin'.

I saw my boyfriend's band From The South perform a show this past Saturday.
Here are some pictures I took. It was a really cool show and a lot of family and friends came out to support.


Nathan, looking epically sexy!



The day after that I saw Jason Castro perform at the White Rabbit. I counted and this is the 7th time I've seen him. And it never gets old. I'm always left wanting more.



He played another awesome show and talked to all of his fans afterward. I was really happy that he remembered me. He meets hundreds of people at every show but I feel like I left an impression. Except he always thinks I'm from Houston! Haha. Whatev.



I want to thank all the people who have been following me. And a special thanks to Kim Smith for choosing me as her Thursday Traveler Spotlight Blog. I'm happy to keep you entertained Kim and thanks for recommending my blog!
Check out Kim's blog:
http://www.writingspace.blogspot.com

I never mentioned that during SXSW this year I went to see Karen Elson perform. I met her afterward and she was a wonderful person. I told her all about how my brother loved her and she autographed a paper for him. The note said
Dear Albert,
Much love and Darkness
Karen Elson
XOXO



Karen is so lovely. I'm going to buy her album when it comes out this week!

And in that same week I met Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters. Frank and I got to see them perform the last night of SXSW. It was an amazing show. I'm very lucky to have seen them perform live.



It was an unusually cold day during Spring Break, that's why we are all bundled up. If you are a long time reader of my blog you might remember that I used to do a thing called "Future Husband". Well I can add Jake Shears to my list of Future Husbands I've already met!

I also met Margaret Cho that very same night!



Is it bad to say that I liked her better when she was chubbier? Well she's a great comedian either way.

Transparent Fur

"When I turn twenty-one, I don't want any more of this life. My mother and father will be surprised at the incredible change. It will impress them more when such a fuck-up like me turns good than if I had been a good [daughter] all along. All the past years I will think of as one big vacation. At least it wasn't as boring as schoolwork. All my bad behavior I'm going to throw away to pay my debt. I will change when everybody expects it the least."



the most productive thing i did all year was grow my hair out



i started a slim twig fanclub http://www.myspace.com/8399398



he is one of the best creatures i have ever known



this is what technology has done to us



this guy seriously puts a smile on my face whenever i am down



i need more god in my life

I Want A Boy Who's So Drunk He Doesn't Talk

Update Up To Date

you know that you need to update your blog when your close friends start mentioning to you that "you haven't updated your blog in a while..."

well my computer is on the fritz and I've been so busy with projects at school.
so there isn't much time for updating.
even now i should be preparing for an exam tomorrow instead of blogging.

the last show I went to:

Jason Castro (and Michael Castro) @ Texas A&M College Station

It was a great show! He played songs from Idol as well as his own songs he wrote before he was on AI and then some of his newer songs. He also played a Spanish song for his parents and played his cover of Ray LaMontagne's cover of the Gnarles Barkley song "Crazy".
His birthday was three days before the show so a member of his band brought out a cake and the whole audience sang him Happy Birthday.

His brother Michael was a great opener and had some very entertaining banter.

I also got to talk with my friend Isaac who goes to school at A&M and was the one who bought me my ticket. I had a pretty good seat at the show.
My parents drove me all the way over there and waited in the car. I'm very grateful that my parents put up with this stuff.







Other things I've done in the past week:

Finished my costume sculpture (pictures will be added soon)

Started an Etsy store called Knitted Bliss 88 (which will only sell sweaters)

Started a Slim Twig Fan Club on Myspace

Filmed scenes for a music video I'm making (to be premiered at the Sorin Reel Film Festival)

Learned some new signs in Sign Language Club (more specifically the colors)


Wishlist:

CDG black cardigan with red heart please!



black silk bow tie



Slim Twig Contempt! LP



Polly Pocket Necklace

Good Cape Weather

I wore my American Apparel cape today. I got some good feedback.
It started out as a rainy/cool day. I felt like a bad ass running across campus in all black with tiny red converse. And a Hooters t-shirt. Don't forget the Hooters t-shirt.
I wear it with a hint of irony.



I think most clothing should be worn ironically. Like those t-shirts with wolves or soaring eagles on them. They are worn because we are making fun of the people who "really" wear them.

This has not been a very productive week. I taught my Presentational Speaking class how to finger knit. And I participated in a play reading.

Today I attended a meeting for a Sign Language club at my school. It was almost as if I was destined to walk down the one hallway that had a sign advertising the event in the building I was in on the day I was in it.
It was a small gathering of sign language enthusiasts. But I thoroughly enjoyed how friendly and welcoming everyone was. I hope the club is very successful.

I feel as though being in the club takes me one step closer to becoming a sign language interpreter at concerts.

I'm starting my own online fan club. I guess I shouldn't tell you who it's for yet since it is not official or anything. But when it's all done and ready I will write a post.

I'm seeing Jason Castro on Saturday at Texas A&M College Station. Here are some Polaroids I took of him that I've been meaning to post.

You're All Talk And No Show

South by South West 2009 has left me exhausted and without the desire to do my school work. I want to make stuff. But I don't want to do any writing.
Ha!
If I didn't have to do homework I would just do crafts and make videos all day.

I have yet to put together my music video for the Sorin Reel Film Festival. It is sometimes hard to plan and coordinate things like that.
But it will happen.

Upcoming Events:

Saturday March 28th- Jason Castro @ Texas A&M College Station

Monday April 13th- Crystal Castles @ La Zona Rosa

Friday April 24th- The Horrors @ Emo's

I'm not doing the Future Husband post anymore because I ran out of possible husbands.
And I actually managed to meet one more of my Future Husbands this past week.
Can you guess which one?

We let our hair grow long and forget all we used to know

What could be better than one cat vest?
The answer is two. Two cat vests are better than one. Which means that I am the owner of not one but two cat vests. Yes!
I only have Ingrid, Sonny, and Rebecca to thank for this. Thanks guyz.

College is expensive. My books for this semester are so pricey that I contemplated dropping my entrepreneurship class just so I wouldn't have to buy the books.
I'm going to try and find a way around the expensive book prices. A few of my friends have been nice enough to give me the books I will be needing for one of my classes. And the rest I will buy on eBay or Amazon. I have also checked some of the books out from the library.



I thought this was a pretty good post secret card. I laugh every time I see that Romeo + Juliet movie with Claire Daines and Leo.

I bought some socks today from Wal-Mart and I'm pretty excited to wear them. They aren't awesome or anything but sometimes you just crave a pair of thick wooly socks. They were pretty inexpensive as well. I noticed that Wal-Mart is upping their game when it comes to the types of clothing they sell there. They have a few higher priced labels now. Jen and I were very confused whilst shopping today.

Ingrid is totally on board for creating a zine about being mystical and doing How-To's on Youtube. We want to feature others who are mystical as well so contact us if you're interested.
We are going to do a limited run of the zines and have a weekly Youtube segment on what you can do to be more mystical.

American Idol is on again. And I might be slightly addicted. Jason's younger brother Michael is a contestant on the show aaaaand....he's pretty good. I wouldn't go as far as to say he's better than Jason but ... he's good. I will support him as best I can. Because what else is there to do, get high?

I want to start a Hanson cover band. But let's get one thing straight: I'm Taylor.

Future Husband:



Mika
His songs are fun, magical, and a little gay.
I'm not sure if I'm his "type" exactly but I would marry him no matter his "preference".

I Don't Want A Lot For Christmas

Did you know that I turn 20 the day after Christmas? Well it's true. I'm calling it ChristmaBirthday. I'm not asking for much this holiday season but if you're thinking about getting me something here are a few things I wouldn't mind.

Sewing Machine



Jason Castro Poster





Jason Castro Calendar



The poster and the calendar are both $12 and they are available at his online store. http://store.thejasoncastro.com/


Moccasins





American Apparel Braided Belt



The belt cost $11 and I would love any color but I think purple is my power color.

And if you can't think of anything to get me....just get me a gift card to one of my favorite stores
Goodwill (it can be for any amount)



If you're like me and you're on a budget this holiday season then don't feel obligated to "buy" anything for me. I love handmade gifts. They are much more personal and sentimental. You can make me anything you think I would like.

Here are some suggestions:
Handmade moccasins (they sell the kits at Hobby Lobby)
Tote Bag made with funky fabric
Headbands with feathers or gems
Necklaces, bracelets, pins or any accessories (fyi I'm not a fan or expensive jewelry)
Paint or draw a picture of me...it doesn't have to be pretty or cute
Write a Poem or Song for me or about me or inspired by me
Sing me a song that I like or reminds you of me
Collage or scrapbook
Decorate a T-shirt with my favorite things
Stuffed or felted creatures
Create a Doll of me (I've had this as a gift before and I loved it!)

I'm currently putting together gifts for my friends and families so please send me a link to your wish list.

Future Husband:



Michael Cera
Possibly one of the cutest dorks in Hollywood.
I loved him as George-Michael on Arrested Development.
Plus I think we're the same age :D

Teenage Lovers Between The Sheets

While in San Antonio last week I bought an unusual instrument from the thrift store near my old house. It was Black Friday so everything was 50% off. I purchased a kantele and sheet music for $15. I didn't know what it was at first but my friend and I did some extensive research and we found that it was a Finnish instrument with a mythological background. Pretty cool. I sold it to Rebecca for her band JEN. She really wanted an auto harp because it's huggable but the kantele can totally be hugged.

I've wanted to direct a music video for Jason Castro ever since I won Be Your Own Pet's video contest this past summer. He currently has no "official" music video or album. I just can't see Jason in an expensive music video. He's so modest and humble. I could see something low key and independently directed. And who better to direct his first video than a fan of his music.

If I could choose I would create a video for his new song "Shine Your Light" or "Love Uncompromised"



I've already made up in my mind what this video would look like.

Future Husband:



Bud Cort in the film Harold and Maude.
He has the creepy sort of cuteness in the movie.
I think his character made me fall in love with the macabre.
As a result, I made my parents rent me a hearse for my 17th birthday and for my Prom.

Shine Your Light When Things Start To Look Dim

When wood is broken it can never be repaired.
You can try and glue the pieces together but they will always be fragmented and weak.
Holidays are wasteful and hurtful. They really test the strength of a family.
I went home to San Antonio for Thanksgiving. I really wanted to go to Tulsa for the weekend.
That didn't happen. But it's okay because I got to spend time with my old friends who I hadn't seen in so long. And I was able to catch some great live music and do a little thrift shopping.
I don't know when I'll be back in San Antonio or if I'll ever go back.
Maybe I'll be back to visit friends. I just feel as though I have no place there.
I can never go back home because home is where the heart is and mine is broken.

Even though I didn't get to attend Jason Castro's concert in Tulsa I was able to see it all happen through a live feed via the internet.
It was magical and he truly inspires. He's inspired me to shine my light as bright as I can.

I've been bewitched by the Polyphonic Spree song "Hold Me Now". Give it a listen and I dare you not to feel good afterward.

Wunderkind of note: Marcus Rubio


I caught his act this week and was very pleased by his performance. I hope to one day direct a music video of his. Or maybe he could score a short film of mine. He really makes the San Antonio music scene look good.
www.myspace.com/marcusrubio

Future Husband:



Stephen Colbert
I first fell for him as Chuck Noblett in Strangers with Candy.
Truth be told he is married, but everyone needs a mistress.
And he still teaches Sunday School every week.

Blog About Me Sometime

I'm working on new and exciting things again. Right now I'm in the process of filming scenes for a trailer I'm making for a short film I'm thinking about making. I will premiere the trailer at the Sorin Reel Film Festival at school. I'm very excited about showing everyone this story I've had in my head. I first came up with it this summer and now it is coming to life with the help of a few friends.
The short film is titled Etienne's Gaining Weight. It is a film about two eccentric gay teenage outcasts in the Midwest who attempt a heterosexual relationship in order to be free of sin and end up falling in love with each other. I don't know if the trailer to this short film will explain the story fully but I hope that the audience walks away with some understanding.
If you read some of my older posts then you might remember what short film idea I'm making reference to. The idea came to me this past summer when I was suffering from insomnia and I needed to create an alternate world to retreat to. I made up the two characters Gemma and Etienne who's names have changed many times since then. There story is still the same. I'm not sure what sort of message this short film is supposed to be sending but I am in no way trying to pass judgment on anyone's sexual orientation. This story is more about Christ's love than human love. It's hard to believe but it's true. I'll post the video of the trailer as soon as it's done so that you may see for yourself.

I've also been working on more tangible forms of art such as hats and felting. I finally finished the hat project for my costume class and I am very proud of my final product. I will post some quality pictures as soon as I have some taken for my portfolio. Now our class is moving on to dyeing silk and distressing fabrics. I'm glad I decided to take that class and I'm anticipating the classes I will be taking next semester.

I have been having day dreams of a possible road trip this summer. Nothing big and no where far. I just want to travel to Marfa, Texas. I've been to Marfa once before and I feel the need to see it again in all it's glory. I will need companions.
What I really want is to go on tour with a band. I want to be a merch girl or a personal assistant. I really want to travel and sleep in buses and go days without showering and find myself at a truck stop at 5 in the morning. Nothing would make me happier.

Dear Jason Castro,
Please take me on tour with you next summer. I want to spend all summer with your spirit.



P.S. Does anybody out there wanna road trip with me this Thanksgiving weekend to Tulsa, Oklahoma? We can visit the birthplace of Hanson and I heard about this little show on the 29th at the Fly Trap Music Hall. This guy named Jason Castro will be playing his first show there since American Idol. I really want to go. Early birthday/Christmas gifts anyone??

With You In Your Dreams

I've been having some pretty lucid dreams lately. They are mostly about people and places I don't know. And my dreams start out pretty happy or good and end up really bad. One dream had Andrew of MGMT in it. He is quite easy to dream about. Now I can say, "He's so dreamy..." So is Jason Castro. I've had a few dreams about him.

This week has been mildly productive so far. I've purchased many things from Goodwill. Just today I went with Sarah to look for furniture and I found way too many good items to pass up. I think I will return some of the things that didn't fit me because I had no time to try them on it the store.
I went to Goodwill the day before with my brother to buy clothes for work. We both needed pants but he ended up just buying a shirt and I bought two black high-waisted pencil skirts, a little house on the prairie-esque skirt, and a pair of black pants for work. The pants are not very extraordinary but with a few tweaks I think I can make them a good piece to wear outside of work. That day I also purchased a sewing machine for an unbeatable price. I hope this sewing machine brings me lots of good luck.
On Saturday I shopped at Texas Thrift Store and found some really cool things there as well. I ended up buying neat fabric, a broken mini keyboard, leggings, a Doodle bear, a cardigan, and a top.
I plan to utilize all my purchases in one way or another. I am collecting fabric at the moment so that I have plenty to work with when I have my sewing machine up and running. And everything that doesn't fit me I plan to sell or swap.
At the end of this week I should be participating in a water balloon fight to celebrate our video contest win. And by that time we will have some definite details about the summer swap meet I am hosting. We don't have a location just yet but I'm hoping that all that is taken care of before August 1st. If all works out I think this will be the first of many successful swaps!

In case you are wondering what kinds of things I would make with all the fabric I am saving and my newly acquired sewing machine, it will be something like this:



I will use recycled bed sheets and second hand fabric to make skirts, tote bags, and maybe some short-alls and pinafore dresses.

If you are the praying type...please pray to God for me that I find the money to go back to school. If you are the giving type then please give me the money to go back to school this semester. It would mean everything to me. And you would not be disappointed. This is the year that I prove to everyone that I am worth it.

Your Life in Blog Form

Guys the Oldest Blogger in the World died the other day. She was 108 and had been blogging for like a year. I don't know why but I feel as though I lost a peer. I have not read her blog but I plan to. I think I'm going to lose my job at Subway. They cut all my hours for this week and I will not work again until next weekend.
I have been inspired by the Castro Family among others to vlog. Another of my inspirations is Proctor Anderson. His blogs are definitely high quality. If I were not so asexual I would probably ask for his hand in marriage.
In my spare time I often dream of being famous. What would I do with my fame? I'd blog about it. Most likely I would put out a line of clothing or create a film. But you don't have to be famous to do those things. It is just more convenient if you are.
If you want to know what kind of clothing I would make then the answer is: Clothing that you can live in not just clothing you can wear. I don't want to make artsy clothes. I want to make clothes that make people happy and make them feel special. So I would make unique and one of a kind clothes.
If you want to know what kind of films I would make then the answer is: Films my friends and I would watch. And films my brother and I could bond over. My films would most likely not be critically acclaimed. They would just be really long music videos with an endless playlist and short random moments.
I have spoken before about making music. The kind of music I would make if I had the technology would be the kind I could put on a soundtrack. Or I just recently saw this title on Myspace: Songs To Put in Your Profile. Hah. very funny. I sang a song I wrote recently to my friend Frank and his response was, "Oh. I would put that song on my profile!"

So I went thrifting recently and I spent something like $13 on a cool 90's Disney bed sheet, an awesome maternity jumper, vintage keds, colorful swim trunks, and a khaki zebra wrap around skirt. The skirt and the shoes are for sale. Maybe the shorts are for sale too. The bed sheet is going to be harvested for fabric to make other things and the jumper is for me but I will pattern it and make duplicates.
I keep wanting to start selling on Etsy or on Ebay but I'm really lazy. Maybe this week will give me a chance to do those things and make some extra cash. I simply need to make a banner/logo for my store and then set things up.
Summer is fading so fast and I haven't even reached all my goals yet. I have been wasting too much of it by sleeping and looking at boring sites. But I do find entertaining things to do on the internet like listen in on live feeds of the Idols Live concert and sometimes very cool things happen on those feeds. Jason Castro gives us a shout out once in a while and sometimes his mom and little sister call in and talk to all the fans or they chat with us.
It's very weird to chat while watching a live feed. You type hello to whomever is broadcasting and then half a second later the person you see on your computer screen is saying hello right back to you. It's kind of exciting. I'm thinking of investing my money in a webcam to do my own show. But then I would be disappointed if it were not successful. This is another example of how fame comes in handy when you want things to go successfully.

You are as stylish as you want to be.

I Just Want To Be Your Everything

So the other day I got written up twice at Subway for bad customer service. Yeesh! If I get another complaint they are going to fire me. So I'm looking for a new job. Because it is too dang hard not to upset Subway customers. Working there is getting annoying anyway. Today during my shift I was contemplating quitting or going home early because I was sick. I really am though. My throat is still sore and my face is congested. It makes sleep very difficult. But what is more difficult is not being able to sing. I am just now beginning to realize how much I genuinely love to sing.
I don't mind looking for a new job as I currently have enough money to pay for the Idols Live ticket I want to purchase. Every day I read a new story on the DDB about someone's castro-encounter. And it just gets me even more excited to see him again. Every day I think about what I'm going to say to him or what I'm going to give him. I don't ever want the day to come though. Because then I'll know that it's over. I want to keep wanting him. I know I'll be sad the day after it happens because then I won't be thinking about what I'm going to say. I'll be thinking about what I said. And what he said.
He's pretty much all I'm living for right now. "Listen please, don't walk out the door. I'm on my knees, you're all I'm living for"("Save Me" by Hanson) Or at least all I'm living for on this earth. I don't care as much about any other band as I do about him. Every day I am amazed at how awesome he is. Just spend one afternoon with me and try not to get hooked on the JCas. It's almost impossible. I will make you love him.
In other news...Javi and I are starting a novela. Well not really. It's more like a digital short of sorts. Just another internet show on another youtube channel. Pretty run of the mill bored teenz stuff. But this show will be about how shallow Scene Kids are. But it's not going to be only about us talking crap. It'll be more satire.
And we have the food fight party coming up. And then the Summer Swap Meet. And then Idols Live. And then school. Wow. Summer is going by so fast. "Everlasting summer you can see it fading faster...So you grab a hold of something that you think is gonna last you." Those are lyrics from the group song the Top 4 did on this season's AI. The song is "Reeling In the Years" by Steely Dan. I really liked that performance even though it was the night Jason was kicked off. He sang the best lines of the whole song.
"You've been telling me you're a genius since you were seventeen. All the years I've known you I still don't know what you mean."
And then he sang..."The week we spent in Hollywood is etched across my mind."
I love relating moments with song lyrics or movie quotes. It's just what I do.
So I am officially nocturnal now. I don't really wake up anymore until 3 p.m. and then I usually have work from 4 p.m. till close and then I stay up online until 5 a.m. when the sun comes up. And then I fall asleep as the world around me is waking up. Like an owl...but with less feathers. I'm pretty much part sloth-part owl.
Isaac Hanson has a new son named Everret. His first name is Clark like his dad but all the Hanson's go by their middle names. I wish that were true of my family but sadly I have no middle name.
I would name my son Etienne. I want to either marry a Hanson (not really possible unless I marry Mackenzie) or a Castro. Both families would be pretty tight to be a part of.

Today I got a swap package in the mail. It was from my Thrift Store T-shirt International Swap. The T-shirt came from the US though. It was an okay tee. I have yet to send my shirt out. I am waaaaay late on lots of swaps and other mail things. But fear not people. You will all get your mail one day.
Until I am stable enough to write another blog. Peace, Love, and Jason's Pantz!

owls sharing secrets...

Songs for Singers

I wrote some lyrics to what will become an amazing song soon. It is called "You're So Cute, If You Didn't Exist I'd Make You Up" or something like that. I got the idea after seeing a picture comment of this boy who inspired me to get started making music. I don't particularly like this kid but he did give me tips on free music making software so he's cool in my book.
The song is naturally about finding a cute boy on Myspace and then totally alienating him to the point where he blocks you from his profile. Ahh to be young and part of the Myspace generation.
Well I got paid for the first time today at Subway. A good 90% of that money will be going to St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. But I am also saving some for investment in thrift shopping and reselling online.
I would like people to quote me as much as possible. It really helps me think about what I say twice. That and it puts a smile on my face like no other. Oh wait, there is one other thing that puts a smile on my face...



Fine Colombian boys with serene faces. This kid is way more adorable than you think. And yesterday he had a date with all of his fans through a vlog update. Too cute. Mean time I was singin' "wish for you on a falling star, wonderin' where you are. do i cross your mind in the warm sunshine? he's in the city of angels..." Haha! LFO still has it.
Well hopefully my friends and I can finish the video we're doing for "Black Hole" in the next two days because I don't have any other days off until next week. And it is hard to round up a bunch of teens even in the summer.

I am also currently looking for local Texas bands, performers, and DJs to play at the event I'm hosting along with Alamo Wasteland on the 1st of August. It's gonna be so awesome but I need everyone's help to make it all go well. Please send me a message if you know of any bands who want to play shows in the summer. And preferably bands that don't charge money. This is going to be a free event so I don't expect to make anything.